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Home / IDFX / Human Behavior and the Designed Environment

Human Behavior and the Designed Environment

Updated: August 14, 2019 by Lisa League

Interior design requires a deep knowledge of human behavior—physical, psychological, and cultural. The ability to understand and communicate with clients is very important. Designed spaces must support the individual lifestyle and functional needs of our clients.

Any interior space directs human behavior. This is especially true for educational, medical, business facilities, or spaces where there is social interaction.

The designer's knowledge of the human factors relating to interior space affects even private spaces, such as residences.

Le Corbusier's design theory

Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye is the epitome of his design theory, “Form follows function”

Image/video courtesy m-louis

Sensory Considerations

Consider the sensory considerations of how the principles and elements of design work together with acoustics, lighting, visual stimuli, color theory, scent, and tactile qualities to create a design solution. Special populations including children and the elderly may experience these qualities differently.

Design Theory

Don’t confuse design theory with a design style. Style is an aesthetic, such as French provincial. Design theory is a designer’s unique approach to a creative problem solving process based on one or more of the following:

  • Historic precedent
  • Human behavior and perception
  • A particular process
  • Environmental design research and evidence-based design
  • A designer’s personal worldview
  • Functional needs

Both the elements and principles of design theory are visual building blocks common to all design practices.

Design Theory – Elements

  • Form
  • Scale
  • Color
  • Texture
  • Pattern
  • Light

Design Theory – Principles

  • Balance
  • Harmony and unity
  • Rhythm
  • Emphasis/focus
  • Contrast and variety
  • Proportion

Influences

Outside influences

This Japanese interior is an example of design regionalism

Image/video courtesy Tyler Black

The design of the built environment relies not only on theory, but also the temperament of what’s happening outside of the immediate confines of the project. While more subjective and ever-changing, some not so obvious influences include:

  • Cultural and societal beliefs
  • Political conditions
  • Cultural symbolism
  • Regionalism
  • Psychological factors

Economic Factors

Economic conditions frequently resonate in interior and architectural design. In times of financial hardship, designs are often more streamlined and subdued.

A more stable, prosperous economy will often substantiate more luxurious designs.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics

Image/video courtesy Joe Loong
Human factors focus on the fit between objects, spaces and users. With an emphasis on physical dimensions, psychological, social and physical needs are also considered.

Ergonomics studies the relationships between the human body and the physical environment. It uses anthropometric data as a base, but focuses more on the interaction with specific objects and tasks, such as a stove top for cooking or office workstations

Anthropometrics

Anthropometrics focuses on the size, proportion and range of motions of the body.

Findings are statistically grouped by sex, age and percentile ratios.

Proxemics

social distance

“Social distance” ranges from 4 to 12 feet and is the distance at which most impersonal business, work and interaction takes place between strangers or in formal situations.

Image/video courtesy Steve Koukoulas
A behavior setting links the effects of the physical environment with behavior patterns of the people using the space. By knowing the activity taking place in the space and how the users will react, the designer can then develop programmatic concepts for the project.

Some behavioral components include proxemics and territoriality.

Proxemics

Describes how people use a space based on circumstance and cultural aspects. Four different distances are identified in the theory of proxemics:

  • Intimate distance
  • Personal distance
  • Social distance
  • Public distance

Territoriality

A non-verbal communication in claiming ownership to a space. You've likely seen a person sitting at a six-person sized table at coffee shop with their belongings strewn about, letting others know this is “their space” and their unwillingness to share.

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Filed Under: IDFX, Practicum Tagged With: Human Behavior and the Designed Environment, Programming and Site Analysis

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